Self-sustained moving support system, method of the same and recording medium

ABSTRACT

The self-sustained moving support system  1  computes the optimum guide route depending on the physical information from the sidewalk data based on the physical information inputted from the mobile computer  8,  combines the guide route with a map data to create an electronic map and sends the electronic map to the mobile computer  8  to display the guide route. Both sides of the guide route displayed on the map are controlled along the blocks in order to provide more detailed information for handicapped persons and either side to be passed is indicated. Thereby the optimum guide route depending on the disability condition of each user can be certainly set in the shortest time.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a self-sustained moving support system,a method of the same and a recording medium, especially, in particularto a technology applicable for the barrier-free moving support forhandicapped persons and aged persons.

BACKGROUND ART

In order to support the moving of handicapped persons and aged persons,it is necessary to provide barrier and barrier-free informationregarding the route to a certain area or the destination. The definitionof the barrier and the barrier-free is different depending on thephysical condition of each user. For example, a pedestrian bridge may bea barrier for wheelchair users, meanwhile it may be the safebarrier-free facility for visually impaired persons. That is to say, itis important to provide information depending on the physical conditionof each user.

As a system for providing the barrier information, Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-31005 is taken for example.Where the optimum route is retrieved from the database in which barrierinformation collected by home attendants or so is stored based on thesearch condition such as a place of departure, a destination and acondition to go out, and the search result is provided to a fax or amobile computer.

However, the present inventors found that the above described technologyfor providing barrier information had the following problem.

Sidewalk-centered roads where pedestrians can walk are changed everyday, and therefore such barrier information must be frequently updatedso that the man-hour and the cost are significantly increased.

Additionally, the route from the place of departure to the destinationsearched is indicated by common map data mainly for automobiles,therefore the detailed sidewalk information for pedestrians can not beobtained.

Accordingly, if the sidewalks exist on both sides of the driveway, usershave to determine which of the sidewalks is to use so that anappropriate navigation depending on the situation can not be provided.

An object of the present invention is to provide a self-sustained movingsupport system being capable of setting the optimum guide routedepending on each disability condition, a method of the same and arecording medium.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-sustainedmoving support system being capable of updating the attributeinformation used for computing the guide route at low cost and in ashort period of time, and obtaining the reliable information, a methodof the same and a recording medium.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter the summary of the representative example of the presentinvention is described briefly.

The self-sustained moving support system of the present invention ischaracterized in that the self-sustained moving support system comprisesa database to store therein sidewalk data and map data, and informationprocessing means to retrieve the database based on the moving supportinformation received through a communication network, compute a guideroute of the sidewalk to a destination depending on each disabilitycondition from the sidewalk data and output an electronic map in whichthe guide route is combined with the map data.

Additionally, the self-sustained moving support system of the presentinvention is characterized in that the self-sustained moving supportsystem further comprises a communications terminal connected to thecommunication network to display the electronic map received from theinformation processing means.

Further, the self-sustained moving support system of the presentinvention is characterized in that the self-sustained moving supportsystem comprises the database to store therein the sidewalk data and themap data, the information processing means to search the database basedon the moving support information received through the communicationnetwork, compute a guide route of the sidewalk to the destinationdepending on each disability condition from the sidewalk data and outputthe electronic map in which the guide route is combined with the mapdata and moving means provided with the communication terminal which isconnected to the communication network to display the electronic mapreceived from the information processing means.

Additionally, the self-sustained moving support system of the presentinvention is characterized in that the moving means is provided withinformation measuring means to collect the attribute information of amoving route.

A method of supporting a self-sustained moving of the present inventionis characterized in that the method of supporting a self-sustainedmoving comprises the steps of: inputting physical condition informationand a destination from the communication terminal; computing the guideroute of a sidewalk according to the physical condition based on thephysical information inputted from the communication terminal and thesidewalk data stored in the database; combining the computed guide routewith the map data stored in the database and outputting it as anelectronic map; and displaying the electronic map showing the guideroute on the communication terminal.

Additionally, a method of supporting a self-sustained moving of thepresent invention is characterized in that the guide route of theelectronic map displayed on the communication terminal is displayed todesignate the sidewalk to be passed.

Additionally, a method of supporting a self-sustained moving of thepresent invention is characterized in that the step of computing theguide route includes preferentially computing the sidewalk which hasbeen passed by a plurality of users having similar physical.

Additionally, a method of supporting a self-sustained moving of thepresent invention is characterized in that the method of supporting aself-sustained moving further comprises the steps of: automaticallycollecting attribute information of the route along which the movingmeans is moved by the information measuring unit; sending the collectedattribute information to the information processing means; and updatingthe sidewalk data stored in the database based on the received attributeinformation.

Further, the method of supporting a self-sustained moving of the presentinvention is characterized in that the step of updating the sidewalkdata includes the steps of: determining whether the received attributeinformation is the investigated area or not; assigning the collectedattribute information to the sidewalk data for the existing area toupdate the sidewalk data stored in the database if the information isthe investigated area; and creating a new sidewalk data with the blockin the map data and the positional information of a sidewalk map andstoring the sidewalk data in the database if the information is theuninvestigated area.

A recording medium of the present invention is characterized in that therecording medium records a computer system-implemented program, thecomputer system performs the following steps of: computing the guideroute of a sidewalk according to the physical information and thedestination inputted from the communication terminal based on thesidewalk data stored in the database; and combining the computed guideroute with a map data stored in the database and outputting it as anelectronic map.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the configuration of the self-sustainedmoving support system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the route search using the self-sustainedmoving support system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example when a user collects the attributeinformation using the self-sustained moving support system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example when an investigator collects theattribute information using the self-sustained moving support system ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an example of the display of the routing guide when the routeis searched using the self-sustained moving support system of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be describedin detail with reference to the attached drawing. Incidentally, in allof the referred drawings, the same reference numerals will be used forthe components having the same function so that the description will beomitted.

In the present embodiment, a self-sustained moving support system 1comprises a communication server (information processing means) 2, a GISserver (information processing means) 3, a database server (database) 4and a mobile unit 5 and so on.

The communication server 2 is connected to the GIS server 3. The GISserver 3 is connected to a communication network K such as Internet andIntranet through the communication server 2.

The database server 4 is also connected to the GIS server 3. Variousinformation such as map data, sidewalk data and physical information,for supporting the self-sustained moving of various type of handicappedpersons and aged persons are stored in the database server 4.

The map data is general map data and is personal information (movingsupport information) such as an address, sex, age group, and disabilitycondition of each user.

The sidewalk data is comprised of attribute information and geometricalinformation. The attribute information and the geometrical informationare associated with each other and stored in the database server 4. Theattribute information is comprised of various information measured by anafter-described position measuring unit 6 and measuring unit 7.

The geometrical information is comprised of line informationrepresenting various routes such as a sidewalk and a pedestrian bridgethrough which users are moved and point information representing spotinformation of various barrier such as a bench and a lavatory inputtedfrom the mobile terminal 8.

The mobile unit 5 is installed into such as a wheelchair (moving means)and comprised of the position measuring unit (information processingmeans) 6, measuring unit (information processing means) 7 and a mobilecomputer (communication terminal) 8.

The position measuring unit 6 detects the current position of thewheelchair utilizing D (Differential)-GPS correction data which isobtained by correcting the positioning error of GPS (Global PositioningSystem) satellite.

The position measuring unit 6 is provided with a map matching skillthereby the error of the coordinate information of the obtained currentposition can be reduced to less than several tens cm to improve theprecision up to the sidewalk level.

The measuring unit 7 is comprised of a slope measuring unit, a distancemeasuring unit, an orientation measuring unit and a speed measuringunit.

The slope measuring unit measures the step and the slop on a sidewalk bymeasuring the inclination of the wheelchair. The distance measuring unitmeasures the moving distance of the wheelchair. The orientationmeasuring unit measures the orientation of the wheelchair in thedirection of movement. The speed measuring unit measures the vehiclespeed and the acceleration of the wheelchair and so on.

The attribute information measured by the position measuring unit 6, theslope measuring unit, the distance measuring unit, the orientationmeasuring unit and the speed measuring unit is output to the mobilecomputer 8. The mobile computer 8 is such as a book-size personalcomputer and comprised of a control unit 8 a, processing unit 8 b,display unit 8 c, input unit 8 d and communication unit 8 e. Thecommunication unit 8 e of the mobile computer 8 is connected to the GISserver 3 through the communication network K thereby the mobile computer8 sends the attribute information to the GIS server 3.

The mobile computer 9 has a navigation function thereby to navigate theroute to the destination based on the navigation information providedfrom the GIS server 3.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment is described.

It is described regarding the searching of the optimum route by theself-sustained moving support system 1 with reference to the flowchartof FIG. 2.

Firstly, a user previously accesses the GIS server 3, inputs thepersonal information from a registration page and obtains a user nameand a password. The personal information is such as an address, sex, agegroup and disability condition. The information is stored in thedatabase server 4 and the initial value of the disability condition isset based on the inputted personal information.

The user performs a log-in process (authentication process) using theobtained user name and password (step S101).

Then, the user sets the place of departure and the destination (stepS102). After the log-in process is completed, the mobile computer 8captures the map data from a map database of the database server 4.

Thereby the current position of the wheelchair obtained by the positionmeasuring unit 6 and the map of the peripheral part thereof aredisplayed in the display unit 8 c. The displayed map can be optionallydisplayed with changing the scale ratio.

In this case, the current position of the wheelchair obtained by theposition measuring unit 6 is the point of departure, however the placeof departure may be set by optionally clicking a certain position on themap displayed on the display unit 8 c, or optionally selecting the placeof departure from such as a list of the place name on the tree.

Additionally, in order to set the destination, a certain position on themap displayed on the display unit 8 c is optionally clicked, or thedestination is optionally selected from the list of the place name onthe tree.

Then, the user sets the search condition from the mobile computer 8(step S103). Where, the items such as “comfort priority” and “timepriority” are selected.

Additionally, in order to set more detail search condition, a routedetail setting screen is displayed on the display unit 8 c thereby suchas “easy to pass through” “average” and “difficult to pass through” maybe set for each attribute (road surface condition, volume of traffic,slope, one-way traffic, etc.)

After the setting of the search condition is completed, the GIS server 3searches the optimum route based on the inputted search condition andthe sidewalk data of the database server 4 (step S104). The route searchuses such as well-known Dijkstra method.

After the route to the destination is computed, the route is combinedwith the map data in the database server 4 to be an electronic map (stepS105), and the electronic map is sent to the mobile computer 8. When theelectronic map is received by the mobile computer 8, the map with theroute is displayed on the display unit 8 c (step S106).

The display unit 8 c not only displays the map with the route but alsomay be added the guide by a spoken notification and a pinpoint displayfunction such as the enlarged map of the cross-point.

Now, the guide route represented on the map is described.

The guide route is not the data based on the centerline of the roadgenerally created for automobiles but constructed by the network ofsidewalks for pedestrians in order to provide more detailed informationfor handicapped persons.

Since most sidewalks are provided on both sides of the drive way, bothlines are controlled along blocks and it is displayed which of the rightsidewalk or the left sidewalk is used as FIG. 5.

For example, it is advisedly guided to cross at the crosswalk and changethe route from the left sidewalk to the opposite right sidewalk at Apoint of FIG. 5, because the fact that only the right sidewalk has thewidth more than about 160 cm required to pass the wheelchair has beenconfirmed based on the sidewalk data.

Additionally, it instructs to change the left sidewalk again at B pointof FIG. 5, because the left sidewalk is provided with a step between thedrive way and thereof but the right sidewalk is not provided with thestep so that the pedestrian is at risk.

The route indicated as the dotted line in the figure is the shortcutfrom the B point to the destination apparently, however, it guides tothe route by way of C point as the detour instead of the dotted lineroute, because many bicycles are illegally parked on the dotted lineroute so that the moving in the wheelchair is blocked.

Further, the reason for selecting the route by way of the C point, whichis the detour to the destination, is that the sidewalk having a widewidth and provided with guardrails and shrubberies is prioritized.

Thus users move according to the guide route thereby to be able to reachthe destination in safety and in the shortest time.

While the user moves to the destination, each attribute informationmeasured by the measuring unit 7 is stored in the database server 4 asthe sidewalk data (step S107). The collected attribute informationduring moving are updated at any time and reflected in the next routesearch (step S104).

Additionally, if the user moves in the wheelchair without using theself-sustained moving support system 1, the self-sustained movingsupport system 1 has a function for automatically collecting theattribute information so that the attribute information is automaticallycollected by the mobile computer 8 without realizing by the user inmoving. Thereby the attribute information is constantly updated.

Now the collecting of the attribute information is described withreference to the flowchart of FIG. 3.

Firstly, when the user moves by the wheelchair (step S201), eachattribute information measured by the measuring unit 7 is stored in themobile computer 8 (step S202). Then the mobile computer 8 sends thestored attribute information to the GIS server 3.

Upon receiving the information from the mobile computer 8, the GISserver 3 determines whether the information is the investigated area oruninvestigated area (step S203). If the information is the investigatedarea, the collected attribute information is assigned to the sidewalkdata of the existing area (step S204).

Then, the sidewalk data stored in the database server 4 is updated,added and deleted based on the assigned sidewalk data, and stored in thedatabase server 4 (step S205).

On the other hand, if the information is the uninvestigated area in thestep S203, a sidewalk data is created by the blocks on the map data andthe positional information on the sidewalk map (step S206). The createdsidewalk data is added (step S207) and stored in the database server4(step S208).

Next, described is the case where the attribute information is collectedby not users but investigators with reference to the flowchart of FIG.4. In this case, the investigator moves in such as a wheelchair in orderto investigate. Incidentally, when the investigator moves toinvestigate, the dedicated moving means for investigation may be usedinstead of the wheelchair.

Firstly, when the investigator moves in the wheelchair (step S301), eachattribute information measured by the measuring unit 7 is stored in themobile computer 8 (step S302).

Where, the investigator inputs the items which are difficult toautomatically obtain such as road names, the presence or absence ofbarriers such as a bench on the sidewalk and the entrance of a parkingplace in moving as the point information from the mobile computer 8.Thereby more detailed information is collected and accumulated in themobile computer 8. Each information stored in the mobile computer 8 issent to the GIS server 3.

The subsequent processes are same as the above described the stepS203-S208. Upon receiving the information from the mobile computer 8,the GIS server 3 determines whether the information is the investigatedarea or uninvestigated area (step S303). If the information is theinvestigated area, the collected attribute information is assigned tothe sidewalk data of the existing area (step S304).

Then, the sidewalk data stored in the database server 4 is updated,added and deleted based on the assigned sidewalk data, and stored in thedatabase server 4 (step S305).

If the information is the uninvestigated area, a sidewalk data iscreated by the blocks on the map data and the positional information onthe sidewalk map (step S306). The created sidewalk data is added (stepS307) and a new sidewalk data is stored in the database server 4 (stepS308).

These data which are collected and stored by the investigator or theuser is reflected to calculate the route guide using the self-sustainedmoving support system 1.

For example, it is the change of the guide route, the correction of theparameter of the duration and the display of various warnings. The guideroute is changed when the wheelchair can not pass because of the barrieron the sidewalk for example.

If the wheelchair can pass nevertheless the barrier exists on thesidewalk, a warning is displayed. The warning also may be displayed inthe entrance of a parking place. Additionally, since the route havingbeen used for a number of users can be certainly passed by wheelchairusers, such route is preferentially guided as a recommended route.

The attribute information such as the sidewalk data may be updated bythe result based on analyzing a plurality of data collected and storedby investigators or users.

The map information indicating the wheelchair-acceptable routes isopened to the public to share information on the WEB site. Thereby themap information can be freely viewed on not only the mobile computer 8but also any device having the communication facility such as a PDA anda personal computer and being capable of connecting the communicationnetwork such as Internet and Intranet.

Thus according to the present embodiment, the attribute information canbe automatically obtained in moving in the wheelchair so that thereliable attribute information can be updated at low cost and highspeed.

Additionally, the route to the destination is navigated using thereliable and fresh attribute information so that the optimum route to beeasily passed can be provided for handicapped persons and aged persons.

Further the route guide is mainly performed not for driveways but forsidewalks so that the high-safety route can be precisely provided.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not intended to belimited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the case that the manual typewheelchair is used as moving means is described, however, other variousmoving means such as an electric wheelchair and an electric vehicle forseniors may be applied.

Additionally, in the present embodiment, the wheelchair is provided withthe slope measuring unit, the distance measuring unit, the orientationmeasuring unit and the speed measuring unit, and adding to these, avoice measuring unit, a light measuring unit, an odor measuring unit, amaterial measuring unit, a temperature and humidity measuring unit and adirection measuring unit may be provided.

The voice measuring unit measures the surrounding noise such as apachinko and the measurement is used as the information for vision orhearing-impaired persons. The light measuring unit measures thebrightness of the sidewalk such as the presence of absence of a streetlamp. The odor measuring unit measures the odor affecting on comfort.The material measuring unit measures the road surface condition. Thetemperature and humidity measuring unit measures the condition offacilities. The direction measuring unit supplementarily measures thecurrent position measurement.

Thereby more accuracy route search can be achieved, and the safety andreliability of the guide route can be improved.

Additionally, the moving support system can be widely applied not onlywheelchair users but also other handicapped persons. For example, thesidewalk with guardrails is preferentially set for visually impairedpersons. Thus in the self-sustained moving support system, the optimumroute can be provided for users depending on each disability condition.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As thus described above, the self-sustained moving support system, andthe method of the same and the recording media according to the presentinvention are suitable for the technology for setting the optimum guideroute depending on each disability condition, the technology forupdating the attribute information used for computing the guide route atlow cost and high speed to obtain the reliable information.

1. A self-sustained moving support system comprising: a database forstoring of a sidewalk data and a map data; and information processingmeans connected to a communication network for searching the databasebased on moving support information received through the communicationnetwork, computing a guide route of a sidewalk to a destinationdepending on each disability condition from the sidewalk data andoutputting an electronic map in which the guide route is combined withthe map data.
 2. The self-sustained moving support system according toclaim 1, wherein the self-sustained moving support system furthercomprises a communication terminal connected to the communicationnetwork to display the electronic map received from the informationprocessing means.
 3. A self-sustained moving support system comprising:a database for storing of a sidewalk data and a map data; informationprocessing means connected to a communication network for searching thedatabase based on moving support information received through thecommunication network, computing a guide route of a sidewalk to adestination depending on each disability condition from the sidewalkdata and outputting an electronic map in which the guide route iscombined with the map data; and moving means including a communicationterminal connected to the communication network to display theelectronic map received from the information processing means.
 4. Theself-sustained moving support system according to claim 3, wherein themoving means comprises an information measuring unit for collectingattribute information of a moving route.
 5. A method of supporting aself-sustained moving comprising the steps of: inputting physicalinformation and a destination from a communication terminal; computing aguide route of a sidewalk according to the physical information based onthe physical information inputted from the communication terminal andsidewalk data stored in a database; combining the computed guide routewith a map data stored in the database to output it as an electronicmap; and displaying the electronic map showing the guide route on thecommunication terminal.
 6. The method of supporting a self-sustainedmoving according to claim 5, wherein the guide route of the electronicmap displayed on the communication terminal is displayed to designatethe sidewalk to be passed.
 7. The method of supporting a self-sustainedmoving according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the step of computingthe guide route includes preferentially computing the sidewalk that hasbeen passed by a plurality of users having similar physical information.8. A method of supporting a self-sustained moving comprising the stepsof: automatically collecting attribute information of the route alongwhich moving means is moved by an information measuring unit; sendingthe collected attribute information to information processing means; andupdating the sidewalk data stored in a database based on the receivedattribute information.
 9. The method of supporting a self-sustainedmoving according to claim 8, wherein the step of updating the sidewalkdata further comprises the steps of: determining whether the attributeinformation is an investigated area or not; assigning the collectedattribute information to the sidewalk data of an existing area andupdating the sidewalk data stored in the database if the information isthe investigated area; and creating a new sidewalk data by a block onthe map data, positional information or so on the sidewalk map andstoring it to the database if the information is uninvestigated area.10. A recording medium with record of a computer system-implementedprogram to perform the steps of: computing a guide route of a sidewalkaccording to physical information and a destination inputted from acommunication terminal based on a sidewalk data stored in a database;and combining the computed guide route with a map data stored in thedatabase and outputting it as an electronic map.